Brake for the steering-wheels of vehicles.



T. G. "ALLEN.

BRAKE FOR THE STEERING WHEELS OI VE HI APPLIQ ATION FILED NO VL 20, 1908.

Patented Aug. 24,

n erases .na'r

enemas amen ALLEN, or LoNnoN, ENGLAND.

'nnam'son Tm STEERINQ-WEEELS OF VEHICLES.

Application meanwhile: so, not.

To all where it may concern:

Be it known that l, 'lnonas GASEELL ALLEN, a citizen of the United States of Americaaresiding at 106, Victoria street, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Imorovements in Brakes for the teering Wheels of Vehicles, of which thefo'll wing is a specification.

This invention relates to the braking of the steering wheels of road vehicles.

The present invention consists of the combination of a brake attached to each steer-' ing wheel, a flexible compensating connec tion between the brakes and the brakeoperating mechanism which will permittlie steering wheels to be operated for steering without affecting the utility of the brakes should they be in operation at the time when the steering movements take place, and a wheel and stud axle therefor so dosigned as to bring the point of contact of the wheel with the ground approximately in line with the center of the steering ivot of the stud axle. There may further 6 included in the combination a special arrangement of pulleys for the flexible compensating mechanism together with an arrangement of" brake levers which will allow the leverage neces sary for braking being obtained at the termination of the compensating gear in stead of at the operating lever thereof, thereby minimizing the strain on the con1- pensating mechanism and reducing to a minimum the wear and tear of the flexible members.

T he arson anying dra'iiings illustrate the invention applied to two forms of wheel axles, in both of which the point of contact oi the Wheel with the road is in line with the steering axis about which the wheel turns for the steering movement. It may here be mentioned, that this arrangement of the steering axis has been hitherto em )lOyed in connection with the steering wheels for the purpose of preventing a reaction on the steering mechanism by the roughness of the roadv In the present case however this ar-.

rangement of t 1e wheel. and the steering axle Figure 1 is a front elevation of the front wheels of a motor car showing their: ention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan oi specifications? Letters Patent;

Serial No. 63,603.

point of contact between the wheels and the ground as at c. d cl are brake drums upon. the wheels having the usual brakeband e thereon, the ends of the brake band e are connected to the respective ends of the lever 6 so as to be operated by the brake lever f which is centered on the bracket 9 andis kept iii-the off position a s ring h. The operating arm j of the lever is made long and extends downward to the underside of the wheel axle and brake drum where it is connected to the rope or wire i which forms the flexible compensating brake mechanism. This rope extends from the brake lever f on one wheel across to the corresponding lever on the opposite wheel and the compensating rope is, passed over independently rotatable pulleys j j mounted at the bottom of the stud axle in alineinent with the axis thereof in such manner as not to affect or to be ail'ected' by the steering movement of the vehicle wheels d. The compensating rope is operated in the known way by a pulley 70 disposed between two fixed pulleys l l and adaptedto be reciprocated by a foot lever m and by suitable connecting mechanism.

'm causes the coin ensating rope to exert a null upon the brarc leversj", and as thesebrake lovers are of considerable length less power is required to be transmitted throu h the compensating rope than would be the case if brake levers of the ordinary length were e1n)loyed, and "consequently there is less liability to wear and tear or fraying of the rope which is generally made of wire caole; leys j 7' being placed on the underside of the stud axle pivots whereby the compensating rope and its operating mechanism can be conveniently disposed clear of the radiators and so forth which are generally carried on thc'front of the car. 1 This arrangement also permits of the band brake being operated iroin the upper side of the brake When the brakes are applied the steering wheels can beionerated 1n the usual way Patented Aug. 2d, 19499.

lhe long lever also permits of the puldrum which IS the most convenient and effective position.

without zillecting tlie operation o the brakes as the compensating ro e-inerely runs longitudinelly over the pu leys, These sirnuh tnneous braking and steeringoperations are further facilitated by the angular position of the stud axle pivot which brings the some in alineinent with the point of contact hetweenthe steering wheels and the road.

Fig. l shows a i'noclifieetion wherein the stud axle is vertical and the wheel is sloped inward in order to bring the axle of the said stud axle in line with the point of contact between the wheel and the road. A similar ell'cctcen be OlJllZLlllGCl by inclining both the wheels and the stml a-xlepivots.

What 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Potent is 1. 1n mechanism for braking the steering wheels cl road vehicles, the combination of two steering wheels, stud axles therefor, each pivot of V inch is approximately in. alineinent with the point of contact between the wheel and the road, a brake on each steering wheel, levers connected with said brake on the upper side of the wheel axle and extending downward below the wheel axle, s flexible conipenssting connection between the two bralce levers, and means I01 opei g the brakes through said compensating; connection. I

2. In mechanism for braking; the steerir wheelsofroad vehicles, the combination of two steering wheels, stud axles therel or, each pivot of which is approximately in slinement with the point of contact between the w heel and the road, e hand brake on each steering Wheel, an elongated lever coupled to end 0pereting the brake bend on the upper side of the wheel axle andv extendin downward below the wheel axle, a flexible compensating connection between the two hrsl e levers and means for operating the brakes through the fment with the point of eontztot between the wheel-end the roed ehendi hrekeon eeeh i steering wheel, an elongated lever coupled to and operating the brake bend on the upper sides-of the wheel axle and extending downward below the wheel axle, pulleys mounted at thelower end of the lid axles i i M pivots in alin-ernent the ewith, e flexib e conipcnsitting connection ssing over said p" ,leys and. conneetin I ereke ley gether, and HM through the said v.

nection. ol) 4. in lllBGlNlllSUl to bro-hing I wheels of road W the coinhn'ietion of two steering r axles therefor, each pivot of whicn s so is hired to he apt inetely in eiinein ntt r he point con act between the w'l broke on each st lever coupled to bend on the Emmi exten rlow'i'iweral compensating connmtien.

1n Wltimsq wl'iereer, i have hereunto signed mine ill the er: oi. two :nsbser hing einisin.

5. In mechenis wheels two pivot of wl inetely in aileron) toot between the each stsern.

lever coupled to line opera bend on the upper side of th' eel axle and extending downward. below tee wheel axle, pulleys mounted at the lo er end a t e stud axles with their axes einent t with, e flexible compensating mnnection passing over said pulleys and i'ltn'inecting the two brake lever, tee enrl means for oper sting the hrnl q h the siiicl flexible 

